Pedaling Parsons
Tour 2004
as reported by
Pastor Don Christensen
I traveled with the Pedaling Parsons on a 300-mile tour of the Finger Lakes region, September 13-17. We all took pledges to raise money for missions. This year, our project is to raise funds to purchase books for the library of the Africa University in Zimbabwe. This is a United Methodist institution of higher learning. The library is built to hold 17,000 volumes, but has just 11,000 so far. Students with meager finances are often unable to afford textbooks, and rely on the library to pursue their studies. The library is used by approximately 2,000 students and faculty each day.
The Pedaling Parsons undertook two tours this summer. Between them, we estimate approximately $30,000 will be raised toward this worthy cause. My personal goal was $1,000, but thanks to the generosity of so many friends, the latest total of pledges and gifts on my end was $2,700.
Rev. Leroy Kettinger, pastor of Auburn First UMC.
Auburn is the largest city between Buffalo and New York City.
Rev. Kittinger is a transplant from Ohio. He was born in Mansfield, and grew up
in Warren.
He was formerly of the Free Methodist Church, and served as pastor of a Free
Methodist Church
in New Middletown, Ohio. In this picture, Rev. Kittinger is flanked by two of
our Pedaling Parsons, Brent and Ken.
We enjoyed magnificent weather all week, until Friday.
The whole 45 mile leg, we endured pouring rain, compliments of Hurricane Ivan.
Our group of 17 cyclists also had a dozen flat tires along the way--go figure!
This is a picture of Rick Mergen taking a picture of Tal Lewis fixing a flat
while Ken Gifford looks on.
In Geneva, getting ready to leave a local restaurant after breakfast.
By this point, we have completed about half of the 300-mile tour. Are your legs
sore?
This is not trick photography. We were on a hill, taking a break at a wayside
park.
The Finger Lakes is located in a hilly section of New York. Our most demanding
hill
was a nearly 6-mile incline. I took it at 5-6 mph in first gear.
I thought I would n-e-v-e-r make it to the top!
There were numerous vineyards around the Finger Lakes.
We stopped at Lakewood Vineyards for lunch. The lady in the center is the owner
of the vineyard.
She was excited to learn we were from Ohio. She and her husband lived in
Lakewood, Ohio
before moving to New York and purchasing this business.
We stayed at a different United Methodist Church each night.
In exchange for accommodations, we offered an evening program for the
congregation.
There would be a covered dish dinner, wonderful fellowship, and new-found
friends.
The is Penn-Yan UMC.
Penn Yan is the largest producer of buckwheat in the world.
There is in town an old mill that has been in continuous operation since the
late 1700's.
On the side of the building can be seen a large frying pan. In 1986 or so, at
the annual
Buckwheat Festival, the townspeople set out to make the world's largest
buckwheat pancake.
The batter was mixed up in a cement truck, then poured out on this pan. A cover
was placed
over it, clamped shut, and a crane flipped it over. When it was revealed,
Guinness authenticated
it at 28 feet, 11 inches. The townspeople, according to the story I heard,
promptly consumed it.
click here for reports and pictures of their travels on Tour 2004 as reported by Rick Mergen